TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT OF

GENETIC ENGINEERING AND

AGROECOLOGICAL ENGINEERING
 2 Approaches
• Scientific Reductionism: Genetic
Engineering

• The bigger picture: Agroecology

 Issues

• Climate change
• Rising costs of energy
• Pesticide use reduction
• Biodiversity conservation
Concept:

TECHNOLOGICAL PARADIGMS
AND TECHNOLOGICAL
TRAJECTORIES
• Technological Paradigm:
– Model and a pattern of solution of selected technological
problems. Determines the field of enquiry, the problems,
the procedures and the tasks

• Technological Trajectories:
– Pattern of problem solving activity on the ground of a
technological Paradigm.
• Genetic Engineering:
– Technology: Transgenesis, DNA
technique

• Agroecological Engineering:
– Application of ecological science to the
study, design and management of
sustainable agro- ecosystems.
 Genetic engineering and agroecological
engineering are two different technological
paradigms
Technological Genetic engineering Agroecological engineering
Paradigms
Basic definition Deliberate modification of the Application of the ecological
characters of an organism by the science to the study, design and
manipulation of its genetic management of sustainable
material. agroecosystems.

Implicit objective Engineering plants: Modify plants Engineering systems: Improve

to our best interests by making the agricultural system structure
them productive in any adverse and making every part of the
conditions or by designing them to structure work well. Rely on
fit new objectives. ecological interactions and
synergisms for soil fertility,
productivity and crop protection.
Scientific paradigm underlying Reductionism Ecology and holism
the
technological
Paradigm
Examples of sub- trajectories Bt insect resistant plants, herbicide Biological control, cultivar mixtures,
progressing along the technological tolerant plants, virus-resistant agro- forestry, habitat management
Paradigm plants, etc. techniques, etc.
 AGRICULTURE
ENVIRONMENT
Agriculture Research Systems (ARS) and
System of Innovation (SI) approach

 Analyze the determinants of innovation that influence

the choice technological paradigms and development
of technological trajectories.
 Agricultural
Scientific Policy
Journals Private Sector
Research
Science and
agricultural Global
research Markets
policy
Funding Public Sector
Agencies Research Economic &
Intellectual Fiscal Policies
Property
Rights
Regimes Environment
Lobbies Farmers al
(Private, Envi. Regulations
Groups, etc.)

Agricultural Research Consumers

System
Systems of
Innovation (SI)
 Sources of Research
 Interviews with scientists

 Participation observation of public forums on

agriculture, Science and Innovation

 An analysis of key policy documents such as

white papers

 A wide multidisciplinary literature review

DETERMINANTS OF
INNOVATION
Categories Sub- categories Determinants of Innovation
1) Agricultural Research orientations Focus on growth, competitiveness, and
Science Policy biotechnologies
Relationships between Public private partnerships
public and private sectors
Division of labor

Influence of lobbies Imbalance in the power of lobbies

2) Private Sector Research orientations Focus on biotechnologies and importance of
patents
3) Public Sector Organization within Vision of complexity and framing of agricultural
research systems research
Specialization vs. interdisciplinary
‘Publish or Perish’
Technology transfer mission: patents, spin offs,
and extension
Cultural and cognitive Assumptions on current and future agricultural
routines (values and systems
world views of scientists)
Assumptions on past agricultural systems
Assumptions on the ethical value of nature and
food
Assumptions on nature of innovations (biotech
and agroecol)
Historical influences Path dependence in agricultural research
SCENARIO ANALYSIS
 Current scenario
 Both paradigms “make sense and make science”

 Agroecological engineering is not fully developed

 Transition from one paradigm to another incurs a lot of costs

 The underdevelopment of agroecological engineering is bad

for possible future complementarities

 Climate change and rising cost of energy are examples of

tensions that create windows of opportunity for
agroecological engineering
 W.r.t Socio economic development , agroecologists
challenge economic globalization, agricultural trade
liberalization.

 They promote agro- food chains, consumer farmer

relationships, product networks

 Agroecological engineering needs institutional innovation:

Farmer Entrepreneurs
TRIPLE HELIX MODEL
(From the perspective of developing
countries)
• Emerged from the needs of the universities to work closely
together with the industry (i.e. Double Helix) to improve
knowledge spillovers and to maintain sustainable
development.

• Moreover it is important for the government to support this

synergy as it plays the role of the policy maker
 Actors
• The model has 3 actors:

– Institutions: centre of excellence with its academic

based research and developmental activities

– Industry: provider of customer demand based on its

commercial activities as well as R & D

– Government : Policy maker

• A cluster is a geographically proximate group of interconnected
companies and association institution in particular field, linked by
communalities and complementarities

• Cluster encompass an array of linked industries and other entities

important to competition which include suppliers of specialized inputs
such as components, machinery, and services as well as providers of
specialized infrastructure.

• Additionally, many clusters include governmental and other institutions

(e.g., universities, think tanks, vocational training providers, standards-
setting agencies, trade association) to facilitate specialized training,
education, information, research, and technical support.
 REFERENCES
• http://www.osra.org/itlpj/smith.pdf
• http://www.utexas.edu/cola/progs/sts/projects/summerworkshop20
05/P10Summary.pdf
• http://www.brint.org/technologyacceptance.pdf
• http://dpi.wi.gov/standards/pdf/teched.pdf
• http://www.theinnovationpartnership.org/data/ieg/documents/case
s/TIP_Innovation_Metrics_E.pdf